Bio Diesel use on Volvo.

Just wanted to get some feed back on using biodiesel on your blackman boats. My son borrowed my truck and wanted to start to use biodiesel in my f350 7.3 diesel. I told him to buy his own truck to try things out. I guess I hurt his feelings but haay it is my truck. Then he mentioned using it in the boat but said he heard the biodiesel has to be treated and filtered more to use it in a volvo engine. I think they may have been refering to volvo cars. Anyway if anyone has thoughts about this or previous use, let me know, thanks for the help.
Al

If you're talking commercially produced biodiesel, it's good fuel. The only thing I would caution you on is your seals and rubber components. From what I've read, bio is more like a solvent than an oil, and it has a tendency to dry out the type of rubber use in older vehicles. I haven't found it for sale in town cheaper than diesel so I've lost interested in switching.

Are you guys thinking about producing your own? I looked into it last time fuel hit $5 and found it to be more work than I wanted to get into.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I need to speak to John Benson and see his thoughts. My truck had to get the fuel pump rebuilt due to leaks at the rubber seals. Mechanic said to use a additive to help offset sulfer. I bought a case of the additive stuff. so far so good.

Have you found it around town cheaper than Diesel? Everywhere I looked a few years ago it was 5 to 10 cents more. That alone put the thought out of my mind.

Pearson Fuels - B99
4067 El Cajon Boulevard San Diego, CA 92105
619-243-0456
$4.45 per Gallon for B20 (20% bio, 80% diesel) (Updated 2012-01-24)

I paid $4.15 for red dye diesel on Wednesday at So Cal truck stop so you're better off putting that in the boat.

Mike

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel some info on the blends and applications pertaining to warranty issues on some vehicles.

Seems that the markets work with each other and keep the price about the same. I wonder what the price is going for in TJ or the Coral? A friend said watch out for the diesels in mexico due to there putting too much sulfur in the fuel which cause it to damage oil gaskets/o-rings etc. I guess it is time to charge friends to go fishing to help on the fuel expense. Obama sure is not helping us out

He fellas;
I've talked to the re-builder (Under the bridge to Coronado) of injectors and injection pumps about Bio Diesel and he showed me a jacked up inj. pump from it's use $$$ Like Mikey say's were just not to sure what it does to the older style of rubber componets most of us have. Just not worth the chance.
I've been buying Mex diesel now for 2 yrs. for my 2001 7.3 PS diesel and da 1995 TD motor and I think they like the sulfur due to it's lubricating properties. I still add additive to my fuel for my boat and every other tank full in the truck to keep the crude out. No problems:)
Diesel prices in Mex. very depending on the value of the peso and dollar. In Nov. I paid 2.72/ Gl. and last month the price was closer to 3 bucks a gallon.

Royal Hook, thanks for the input. I just hope my son doesnt try to use it while he is borrowing my truck. I saw you going out on the last day or so of lobster fishing. I hoper yo did well.

I have not purchased more than 25 gallons of diesel in CA in 3 years except for red dye for the boat. the Mex fuel is way better running in my truck and lots cheaper $2.83 in Feb 2012 in Ensanada. I have heard guys like using the bio if it is commercial but you need to be careful of the garage operation since there are many ways to produce what will pass for bio diesel, Not every home brew has perfected it. which may explain the ruined injectors and pumpd discussed on here.

My son said that vegetable oil was best to use so you dont ned much alteration for the stuff.

Vegetable oil was $7 a gallon at CostCo last month and clean used vegi oil is a lot harder to come by than you would think. I do save all my used Vegetable oil for my Mercedes, but won't run a Vegetable oil blend in the boat.

I blend vegi oil, mineral oil, diesel and about anything else that looks like oil for the car to run on. I've been doing it for 5 or 6 years and it still runs fine for a vehicle with 350,000 miles on it. There is a big difference in experimenting with a 30 year old $500 car vs my boat. If I screw up the car, I get a tax write off when Father Joe tows that oil dripping eye sore out of my driveway. If I screw up the boat, well let's not even go there.

Mike

Mike thanks for the info. I am not sure if I should give this info to my son. That would give him a, go for it, attitude. Wish this ocean water temp would go up a few deg. Still have not gotten a chance to take out the boat yet. It should run great with all the work that was done. Rebuilt turbos, heat exchangers rodded, new impeller for raw water and had the fresh water pumps rebuilt, and rebuilt alternaters at Broaday Auto electric. When are we going to get the mmsi thing tested out.? Keep in touch.

Mexican diesel for Baja is made in Long Beach. If there are problems it's from storage or handling.

So, I guess this means that all diesel sold in Baja is the ULSD, @ $2.83 a gallon Thats a pretty sweet deal.